Knowledge exchange

What's new in the literature?

Members of the MHiMA team periodically read and review what is being published in Australia and internationally and list some articles, books and reviews that catch our attention. We hope that they interest you too.   

Books and links

Find books and links to reviews

Journal articles

Interested in writing a review of a new article featured in MHiMA's knowledge exchange? Contact us if you would like to get involved by simply reading a peer-reviewed article and explaining its relevance to a wider audience. Selected contributions will be published here and promoted in the MHiMA e-newsletter.   

 Read a review of Rousseau, Measham and Nadeau's (2013) journal article 'Addressing trauma in collaborative mental health care for refugee children'. Go to May 2013 below to link to the article's abstract.   

June 2014

Colucci, E., Chopra, P., McDonough, S., Kouzma, N., & Minas, H. (2014). Improving cultural responsiveness in mental health services: development of a consensus around the role of cultural portfolio holders. International Journal of Culture and Mental Health, 7(3), 339-355.
Abstract: A range of service development initiatives has been implemented in Australia to improve the cultural responsiveness of mental health services. In Victoria, cultural portfolio holders (CPHs) are responsible for leading service development activities that address the needs of individuals and families from different… View full abstract

  

de Haan, A., Boon, A., Vermeiren R., & de Jong, J. Ethnic differences in DSM-classifications in youth mental health care practice. International Journal of Culture and Mental Health, 7(3), 284-296.
Abstract: In community youth mental health care (YMHC), patients are mostly diagnosed according to the clinical judgment of professionals. Because validated instruments are hardly used, this process may be influenced by other factors than the diagnostic criteria, such as the ethnic background of the patient. The goal of our… View full abstract

 

Haque A., & Keshavarzi, H. (2014). Integrating indigenous healing methods in therapy: Muslim beliefs and practices. International Journal of Culture and Mental Health, 7(3), 297-314.
Abstract: This paper outlines the nature of spiritual healing from Islamic perspectives based upon the writings of early Muslim scholars, the Islamic mystical tradition and a discussion of common traditional Muslim healing practices useful for clinical application. Practical intervention strategies are discussed within an… View full abstract

 

Luk, S. &  Agoha, R. (2014). The role of socio-cultural factors in the course of anorexia nervosa: a case of anorexia nervosa in a Chinese-American adolescent. International Journal of Culture and Mental Health, 7(3), 236-245.
Abstract: With the realization of eating disorders outside of westernized societies, it is clear that body image and western cultural ideals are not the only etiologies for anorexia nervosa across cultures. Using a retrospective chart review of a single medical record, a case study is presented to illustrate that eating disorders are… View full abstract

  

Yang, L., Lai, G., Tu, M., Luo, M., Wonpat-Borja, A., Jackson, V.,..  Dixon, L.(2014). A brief anti-stigma intervention for Chinese immigrant caregivers of individuals with psychosis: Adaptation and initial findings. Transcultural Psychiatry, 51(2), 139-157.
Abstract: Mental illness stigma has adverse effects on both the caregivers' psychological well-being and the effectiveness of care that consumers receive. While anti-stigma interventions for family caregivers from Western settings have recently shown efficacy, these interventions may not be equally applicable across…View full abstract

May 2014

Bisson, J. (2014). Early responding to traumatic events. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 204(5), 329-330.
Summary: How to respond optimally following traumatic events remains a Holy Grail. A number of early interventions lack evidence of effect. Practical, pragmatic support provided in an empathic manner is likely to be an appropriate initial response and complement the high levels of resilience shown by individuals exposed to... View full abstract

 

DeCarlo Santiago, C., and Miranda, J. (2014). Progress in improving mental health services for racial-ethnic minority groups: A ten-year perspective. Psychiatric Services, 65(2), 180-185.
Abstract: Objective: This study examined progress in making the mental health workforce more diverse and in better representing racial-ethnic minority groups in randomized intervention trials of common mental disorders since the publication of the U.S. Surgeon General’s 2001 report Mental Health: Culture, Race, and... View full abstract

 

Heeren, M., Wittmann, L., Ehlert, U., Schnyder, U., Maier, T., and Müller, J. (2014). Psychopathology and resident status - comparing asylum seekers, refugees, illegal migrants, labor migrants, and residents. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 55(4), 818-25.
Abstract: Purpose: This study aimed to describe, compare, and predict mental health outcomes of different migrant groups and native residents in Switzerland. Subjects and methods: Asylum seekers (n = 65); refugees holding permanent protection visas (n = 34); illegal migrants (n = 21); labor migrants (n = 26); and residents... View full abstract.

 

Hofmann, S., and Hinton, D. (2014). Cross-cultural aspects of anxiety disorders. Current Psychiatry Reports, 16(6), 1-5. Abstract: A person’s cultural background influences the experience and expression of emotions. In reviewing the recent literature on cross-cultural aspects of anxiety disorders, we identified some culturally related ethnopsychology/ethnophysiology factors (the culture’s conceptualizations of how the mind and body function)... View full abstract

 

Levesque, A., and Li, H. (2014). The relationship between culture, health conceptions, and health practices: A qualitative–quantitative approach. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 45(4), 628-645.
Abstract: This study investigated cultural variations in health conceptions and practices using a quasi-experimental design. A total of 60 participants, recruited from three cultural groups in Canada, were individually interviewed between the fall of 2009 and the fall of 2010. Transcribed interviews were quantified according to the...View full abstract 

 

Lipsicas, C., Mäkinen, I., Wasserman, D., Apter, A., Bobes, J., Kerkhof, A.,... Schmidtke, A. (2014). Immigration and recommended care after a suicide attempt in Europe: Equity or bias? European Journal of Public Health, 24(1), 63-65. Abstract: This report describes the investigation of care recommendations in the medical system across European countries to immigrants who attempted suicide. Data from seven European countries with 8865 local and 2921 immigrant person-cases were derived from the WHO/EURO Multicentre Study on Suicidal... View full abstract

 

Special issue on spirituality and mental health (2014). Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 35(4), 235-320.
View table of contents

April 2014

Andreouli E., and Dashtipour P. (2014). British Citizenship and the ‘Other’: An Analysis of the Earned Citizenship Discourse. Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology, 24(2), 100-110. 

Abstract: This paper presents an analysis of interviews conducted with citizenship officers in London, working within the field of British naturalisation. We draw from a rhetorical psychology perspective to study the dilemmatic tensions that exist in the participants' discourse about naturalisation applicants who…View full abstract  

 

Kadianaki, I. (2014). The transformative effects of stigma: Coping strategies as meaning making efforts for immigrants living in Greece. Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology, 24(2), 125-138. 

Abstract: The present article examines the strategies that immigrants living in Greece use to cope with stigma that arises in their interaction with both Greek society and their communities of origin. Drawing on interviews and focus groups conducted with immigrants from a variety of countries, a dialogical…View full abstract

 

Endo, G., Tachikawa, H., Fukuoka, Y., Aiba, M., Nemoto, K., Shiratori, Y. … and Asada T. (2014). How perceived social support relates to suicidal ideation: A Japanese social resident survey. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 60(3), 290-298. 

Abstract: Background: The loss of social support is one of the major risk factors for suicide. However, there are few empirical studies that have examined how a person’s suicide ideation relates to their social support.  Aims: To examine the relationship between social support and suicidal ideation.  Methods: Self-report… View full abstract  

 

Ikwuka, U., Galbraith, N., and Nyatanga L. (2014). Causal attribution of mental illness in south-eastern Nigeria. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 60(3), 274-279.

Abstract: Background: Understanding of mental illness in sub-Saharan Africa has remained under-researched in spite of the high and increasing neuropsychiatric burden of disease in the region. Aims: This study investigated the causal beliefs that the Igbo people of south-eastern Nigeria hold about schizophrenia,… View full abstract

 

Lucchetti, G., Lucchetti,A., Oliveira, G., Crispim, D., Pires, S., Gorzoni, M.,...  and Koenig, H. (2014). Nursing home care: exploring the role of religiousness in the mental health, quality of life and stress of formal caregivers. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 21(5), 403–413. 

Abstract: Despite the high number of studies on family caregivers, there is little research on the impact of religiosity on formal caregiving (paid providers). We examine the role of religiousness in the mental health, quality of life and stress of nurse aides (NA) who provide care for patients in a nursing home. NA in a Brazilian… View full abstract 

 

Meir, Y., Slone, M., and Levis, M. (2014). A Randomized Controlled Study of a Group Intervention Program to Enhance Mental Health of Children of Illegal Migrant Workers. Child and Youth Care Forum, 43(2), 165-80. 

Abstract: Background: The social–ecological environment of undocumented children of migrant workers includes varying levels of risk factors. Growing up in these conditions compromises children’s development on all levels. Many of these children are in need of psychotherapy, however, due to limited resources,… View full abstract  

 

Walsh S., Blass D., Bensimon-Braverman M., Barak, L. and Delayahu, Y. (2014). Characteristics of immigrant and non-immigrant patients in a dual-diagnosis psychiatric ward and treatment implications. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 1-10. (Online only). 

Abstract: Two studies were conducted among patients in a male dual diagnosis (severe mental illness [SMI] with substance use) ward. The research examined the following questions: (1) Do immigrant and non-immigrant dual diagnosis patients exhibit similar or different socio-demographic, clinical and criminological… View full abstract

March 2014

de Haan, A., Boon, A., Jong, J., Geluk, C., and Vermeiren, R. (2014). Therapeutic relationship and dropout in youth mental health care with ethnic minority children and adolescents. Clinical Psychologist, 18(1), 1-9.

Abstract: Background:  Dropout in youth psychotherapy is high, especially for ethnic minority patients. An important determinant of dropout is the quality of the therapeutic relationship. This study evaluated the association between the therapeutic relationship and dropout in therapy with ethnic minority youth... View full article. Open access article

 

Lipsicas, C., Mäkinen, B. , Wasserman, I.,  Apter, D.,  Kerkhof, A., Michel, A., ... and Schmidtke, A. (2013).  Gender distribution of suicide attempts among immigrant groups in European countries: An international perspective. European Journal of Public Health, 23(2), 279-284.  

Abstract: Background: Studies report high rates of suicide attempts for female immigrants. This study assesses variations in the distribution of suicide attempts across gender in immigrant and non-immigrant groups in Europe. Method: Data on 64 native and immigrant groups, including 17 662 local and 3755 immigrant... View full abstract

 

Maltseva, K. (2014). Normative culture, cultural competence and mental health in Sweden. International Journal of Culture and Mental Health, 7(2), 179-198.

Abstract Positive effects of benevolence and prosocial behavior on mental and physical health have been well documented in psychological literature. Within this empirical framework, the present study explores the relationship between cultural norms and emotional health based on cognitive data collected in Sweden... View full abstract

 

Moro, M. (2014). Parenthood in migration: How to face vulnerability. Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry, 38(1), 13-27. 

Abstract: Whether they are African or Asian, the children of immigrant families live in situations in which they may be exposed to serious trauma. Immigrant families themselves often live in extreme conditions. Although research has described these conditions, intervention is still inadequate. These families need not only... View full abstract

 

Rickwood D., Telford N., Parker A., Tanti C. and McGorry P. (2014). headspace - Australia's innovation in youth mental health: Who are the clients and why are they presenting? The Medical Journal of Australia, 200(2), 108-111. 

Abstract: Objectives: To provide the first national profile of the characteristics of young people (aged 12–25 years) accessing headspace centre services — the Australian Government’s innovation in youth mental health service delivery — and investigate whether headspace is providing early service access... View full article. Open access article

February 2014

Anderson, K., Flora, N., Archie, S., Morgan, C. and McKenzie, K. (2014). A meta-analysis of ethnic differences in pathways to care at the first episode of psychosis. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 1–12.  
Abstract: Objective: We sought to systematically review the literature on ethnic differences in the likelihood of general practitioner (GP) involvement, police involvement, and involuntary admission on the pathway to care of patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP). Method: We searched electronic... View full abstract.  Open access article

 

Bhugra, D., Gupta, S., Schouler-Ocak, M., Graeff-Calliess, I., Deakin, N., Qureshi, A.,... Carta, M. (2014). EPA guidance mental health care of migrants. European Psychiatry, 29(2), 107–115. 
Abstract: Migration is an increasingly commonplace phenomenon for a number of reasons. People migrate from rural to urban areas or across borders for reasons including economic, educational or political. There is increasing recent research evidence from many countries in Europe that indicates that migrants are more... View full abstract 

 

Hughes, G. (2014).  Finding a voice through ‘The Tree of Life’: A strength-based approach to mental health for refugee children and families in schools. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 19(1), 139-153.
Abstract: The Child and Family Refugee Service at the Tavistock Centre in London has run a series of ‘Tree of Life’ groups for both parents and children in schools. The groups were developed in response to a concern about the majority of psychological treatments, which focus predominantly on vulnerability factors in refugee... View full abstract

 

Selkirk, M., Quayle, E., and Rothwell, N. (2014). A Systematic review of factors affecting migrant attitudes towards seeking psychological help. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 25(1) 94-127.
Abstract: Research indicates that service utilization rates in migrant groups are low, although levels of distress appear high when compared with host populations. This paper systematically reviews quantitative and qualitative literature on factors associated with attitudes toward seeking psychological help among working... View full abstract

 

Tummala-Narra, P. (2013). Psychotherapy with South Asian women: Dilemmas of the immigrant and first generations. Women and Therapy, 36(3-4), 176-197.
Abstract: Immigration imposes changes in gender role expectations and sexual expression that can contribute to acculturative stress and intergenerational conflicts. This article focuses on how immigrant and first-generation South Asian women in the United States negotiate losses incurred in immigration and navigate... View full abstract

 

Vervliet, M., Demott, M., Jakobsen, M., Broekaert, E., Heir, T. and Derluyn, I. (2014). The mental health of unaccompanied refugee minors on arrival in the host country. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 55(1), 33-7. 
Abstract: Despite increasing numbers of unaccompanied refugee minors (UM) in Europe and heightened concerns for this group, research on their mental health has seldom included the factor “time since arrival.” As a result, our knowledge of the mental health statuses of UM at specific points in time and over periods... View full abstract  

January 2014

Abebe, D., Lien, L., and Hjelde, K. (2014). What we know and don’t know about mental health problems among immigrants in Norway. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 16(1), 60-67. 

Abstract: Mental health problems have been regarded as one of the main public health challenges of immigrants in several countries. Understanding and generating research-based knowledge on immigrant health problems is highly relevant for planning preventive interventions, as well as guiding social and policy actions... View full abstract


Colucci, E., Szwarc, J., Minas, H., Paxton, G., and Guerra, C. (2014). The utilisation of mental health services by children and young people from a refugee background: A systematic literature review. International Journal of Culture and Mental Health, 7(1), 86-108.

Abstract: People from refugee background are known to be vulnerable to the development of mental health problems and to suicide because of the pre-migration events they have experienced and the difficulties associated with moving from their homeland to a usually different society. Concerns have been expressed that,...View full abstract


Haaken, J. and O’Neill, M. (2014). Moving images: Psychoanalytically informed visual methods in documenting the lives of women migrants and asylum seekers. Journal of Health Psychology,19(1), 79-89.  

Abstract: While feminist arts-based projects have gained legitimacy, theory guiding the use of visual images in field research has lagged. Drawing on psychoanalytic-feminist theory and participatory action research methods, the article presents a study carried out with women refugee and asylum seekers that focuses...View full abstract 


Khawaja, N. Ramirez, E., and Prasad-Ildes, R. (2013). Building resilience in transcultural adults (BRiTA): Developing a novel preventative intervention. Advances in Mental Health, 11(3), 302-312.  

Abstract: There is a dearth of preventative programmes that enhance the Australian culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) adults' resilience to cope with the acculturation process. This article introduces the reader to the BRiTA Futures for Adults and Parents, a culture and language sensitive programme for the CALD...View full abstract


Ngai, A.,  Bozza, A.,  Zhang, H.,  Chen, C.,  and Bennett, P. (2014). Transition between cultures? Beliefs and attitudes of British and Chinese young adults living in China and the UK towards mental health disorders. International Journal of Culture and Mental Health, 7(1),  28-42.     

Abstract: Students not studying psychology or mental health issues participated in a study in which they identified the characteristics of, and attitudes towards, three widely prevalent mental health problems: anxiety, depression and schizophrenia. Participants were equally divided into indigenous UK (n=106) and...View full abstract


Tay, K., Frommer, N., Hunter, J., Silove, D., Pearson, L., San Roque,... and Steel, Z. (2013). A mixed-method study of expert psychological evidence submitted for a cohort of asylum seekers undergoing refugee status determination in Australia. Social Science and Medicine, 98, 106-15. 

Abstract: The levels of exposure to conflict-related trauma and the high rates of mental health impairment amongst asylum seekers pose specific challenges for refugee decision makers who lack mental health training. We examined the use of psychological evidence amongst asylum decision makers in New South Wales,...View full abstract


Wroblewska-O'Sullivan, A., Coughlan, B., and Ryan, D. (2014). Irish services users' experiences of working with culturally diverse mental health professionals: A Grounded Theory study. International Journal of Culture and Mental Health, 7(1), 11-27.     

Abstract: This article presents the lived experience perspective of adult mental health (MH) service users of Irish origin receiving treatment from culturally diverse MH professionals. The current study applied Grounded Theory principles to explore the service users' experiences of MH service and being treated by ...View full abstract
December 2013

Dein, S. and Bhui, K. (2013). At the crossroads of anthropology and epidemiology: Current research in cultural psychiatry in the UK. Transcultural Psychiatry, 50(6), 769-791.

Abstract: Cultural psychiatry research in the UK comprises a broad range of diverse methodologies, academic disciplines, and subject areas. Methodologies range from epidemiological to anthropological/ethnographic to health services research; mixed methods research is becoming increasingly popular, as are public health... View full abstract 

 

Ekblad, S. and Kastrup, M. (2013). Current research in transcultural psychiatry in the Nordic countries. Transcultural Psychiatry, 50(6), 841-857.

Abstract: This article discusses major themes in recent transcultural psychiatric research in the Nordic countries from 2008 to 2011: (a) epidemiological studies of migration, (b) indigenous populations, and (c) quality of psychiatric care for migrants. Over the past several decades, the populations of the Nordic countries,... View full abstract 

 

Kirkwood, S. and McKinlay, A. (2013). 'They're more than animals’: Refugees' accounts of racially motivated violence. British Journal of Social Psychology, 52(4),747–762.

Abstract: Previous discursive research has found that minority group members may deny or downplay the existence of discrimination. However, to date, little research has addressed the issue of violence against minority group members. This study therefore draws on interviews with asylum seekers and refugees in a Scottish... View full abstract

 

Liddell B., Chey T., Silove D., Phan,T., Giao, N., and Steel, Z. (2013). Patterns of risk for anxiety-depression amongst Vietnamese-immigrants: A comparison with source and host populations. BMC Psychiatry, 13(1), 329.

Abstract: Background: Studies suggest that immigrants have higher rates of anxiety-depression than compatriots in low-middle income countries and lower rates than populations in host high income countries. Elucidating the factors that underlie these stepwise variations in prevalence may throw new light …View full abstract, open access article 

 

Patel, S., Firmender, W., and Snowden, L. (2013). Qualitative evaluation of mental health services for clients with limited English proficiency. International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 7(1), 27.

Abstract: Background: To meet federal requirements under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, the state of California instituted policies requiring that comprehensive mental health services in native languages be made available to limited English proficiency (LEP) populations when concentrations exceed… View full abstract, open access article 

 

Procter, N., De Leo, D. and Newman, L. (2013). Suicide and self-harm prevention for people in immigration detention. Medical Journal of Australia, 199(11), 730-732.

Article: Suicide is the leading cause of premature death for people in the Australian immigration detention network. In May this year, the Commonwealth and Immigration Ombudsman released a long-awaited report into suicide and self-harm across the Australian immigration detention network. All available evidence points to the... View full article 

 

Triggs, G. (2013). Mental health and immigration detention. Medical Journal of Australia, 199(11), 721-722.

Editorial: The detrimental effects of prolonged closed detention underscore the need for alternative arrangements. Accurate, objective information about the quality of health care services in immigration detention centres has never been more important than it is today, with thousands of asylum seekers and refugees, including... View full article  

 

Wintrob, R. (2013). Reflections on current research and future challenges in cultural psychiatry. Transcultural Psychiatry, 50(6), 765-768.

Editorial: This special issue of Transcultural Psychiatry evolved from a series of symposia organized by the Transcultural Psychiatry Section of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA-TPS) for the XV World Congress of Psychiatry, held in Buenos Aires in September 2011. WPA-TPS sponsored... View full abstract, open access article   

 

Zubaran, C., Foresti, K. and de Moore, G. (2013). Aborigines, colonizers and newcomers: The landscape of transcultural psychiatry research in Australia. Transcultural Psychiatry, 50(6), 876-899.

Abstract: The authors present an analysis of transcultural psychiatry research in relation to three main population groups in Australia: Aboriginal Australians, documented immigrants, and refugees. The pioneering reports produced by Western psychiatrists in Aboriginal communities are examined in this article. Additional... View full abstract 

 

November 2013

Berry, J. and Sam, D. (2013). Accommodating Cultural Diversity and Achieving Equity.  European Psychologist, 18(3), 151-157.

Editorial of special issue: In culturally diverse societies there has been a shift in public policy and public attitudes in recent decades, away from assuming that there is an inevitable process of cultural and psychological homogenization underway and the image of modern society as a "Melting Pot". The shift has been toward... View more of article    

 

George, M. (2013). Sri Lankan Tamil refugee experiences: A qualitative analysis. International Journal of Culture and Mental Health, 6(3), 170-182.

Abstract: A significant number of Sri Lankan Tamils fled the violence unleashed during the civil war (1983–2009) between Tamils and the Sri Lankan government. The largest concentrations of Sri Lankan Tamils outside of Sri Lanka exist in Canada and India. The objective of this study is to examine the impact of... View full abstract  

 

Gernhardt, A.,  Rübeling, H., and  Keller, H. (2013). “This Is My Family”: Differences in Children’s Family Drawings Across Cultures. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 44(7), 1166-1183.

Abstract: In the present study, we examined the family drawings of preschool-aged children from three cultural contexts that represented different aspects of autonomy and relatedness. The final sample consisted of 53 children from urban Western middle-class families from Osnabrueck, Germany; 63 children from rural... View full abstract 

 

Lin, S. (2013). Beliefs about causes, symptoms, and stigma associated with severe mental illness among ‘highly acculturated’ Chinese-American patients. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 59, 745-751.

Abstract: Background: Literature about experiences of mental illness among ethnic minority has tended to focus on first-generation migrants. This study fills that gap by exploring experiences among highly acculturated Chinese-American patients with mental illness. Materials: Twenty-nine participants completed... View full abstract  

 

Mähönen, T. and Jasinskaja-Lahti, I. (2013). Acculturation expectations and experiences as predictors of ethnic migrants’ psychological well-being.  Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 44(5), 786-806. 

Abstract: There is a need for a better acknowledgement of the pre- and postmigration factors that influence postmigration psychological adaptation of ethnic migrants. In the present study, first, we examined the effects of pre-acculturative stress, anticipated sociocultural difficulties, and anticipated discrimination... View full abstract  

 

Reis, R. (2013). Children enacting idioms of witchcraft and spirit possession as a response to trauma: Therapeutically beneficial, and for whom? Transcultural Psychiatry, 50(5),  622-643. 

Abstract: This article examines children’s enactment of spirit possession idioms and witchcraft in Africa including the meanings such idioms provide and the local healing resources they mobilize. Idioms of haunting spirits in Northern Uganda and witch-children elsewhere in Africa can be interpreted as manifestations of... View full abstract  

 

Rosenberg, S. and Hickie, I.  (2013). Managing madness: Mental health and complexity in public policy. Evidence Base, 3.

Abstract: This paper explores the concept of collaborative care, particularly in relation to a range of new models of organisation and service that are emerging in response to one of the most problematic areas of public policy - mental health. These emerging models of coordinated mental health... View full abstract. Open access to full article  

October 2013

Briggs, L. (2013). Is the degree of demoralization found among refugee and migrant populations a social-political problem or a psychological one? The European Journal of Psychiatry, 27(1), 27-35.

Abstract: Many international studies point to the negative impact of migration on refugee mental health while others consider the social and political aspects of resettlement are more important. This paper presents the findings from studies examining the degree of demoralization and the impact of other factors... View full abstract 

 

DeVylder, J., Oh, H., Yang, L., Cabassa, L., Chen, F-P., and Lukens, E. (2013). Acculturative stress and psychotic-like experiences among Asian and Latino immigrants to the United States. Schizophrenia Research, 150(1), 223-228.

Abstract: Previous studies have shown variation in the prevalence and incidence of psychosis across immigrant groups, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Stress related to acculturation may increase risk for psychosis among immigrant groups. In this study we examine the association between... View full abstract

 

Hollander, A-C., Bruce, D., Burström, B., and Ekblad, S., (2013). The association between immigrant subgroup and poor mental health: a population-based register study. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 201(8), 645-52.

Abstract: Ethnicity and immigrant subgroup (classified as refugee or nonrefugee) are associated with poor mental health among immigrants. The aim of this study was to assess whether national origin-based differences in poor mental health can be explained by immigrant subgroup and if its importance varies depending... View full abstract  

 

Iliceto, P., Pompili, M., Candilera, G., Borges, G., Lamis, D., Serafini, G., and Girardi, P. (2013). Suicide risk and psychopathology in immigrants: a multi-group confirmatory factor analysis. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 48(7), 1105-14.

Abstract: Immigrants may experience several negative consequences as a result of their migration including discrimination, unsatisfactory economic conditions, and rejection from the host countries, which may contribute to psychiatric illness and vulnerability to suicidal behaviors. The purpose of the current study was to... View full abstract

 

McDonough, S., Chopra, P., Tuncer, C., Schumacher, B., and  Bhat, R. (2013). Enhancing cultural responsiveness: the development of a pilot transcultural secondary consultation program. Australasian Psychiatry, 21(5), 494-498. 

Abstract: Objective: This paper describes the development of a pilot secondary consultation program by a state-wide transcultural psychiatry unit, Victorian Transcultural Mental Health (VTMH), in partnership with a rural mental health service, Goulburn Valley Area Mental Health Service (GVAMHS), and the responses... View full abstract

 

Minas, H., Kakuma, R., Too, L.T., Vayani, H., Orapeleng, S., Prasad-Ildes, R, ... and Oehm, D. (2013). Health research and evaluation in multicultural Australia: Developing a culture of inclusion. International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 2(23).

Abstract: Introduction: Cultural and linguistic diversity is a core feature of the Australian population and a valued element of national identity. The population that will be overseas-born is projected to be 32% by 2050. While a very active process of mental health system reform has been occurring for... View full abstract. Open access to full article

 

Sirin, S., Gupta, T., Ryce, P., Katsiaficas, D., Suárez-Orozco, C., and Rogers-Sirin, L. (2013). Understanding the role of social support in trajectories of mental health symptoms for immigrant adolescents. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 34(5), 199-207.

Abstract: This longitudinal study of 286, urban residing, first- and second-generation immigrant adolescents examined the degree to which acculturative stress is related to the developmental trajectories of mental health problems and the role of social support in this process. Participants were recruited when... View full abstract  



September 2013

Aggarwal, N., Nicasio, A., DeSilva, R., Boiler, M. and Lewis-Fernández, R. (2013). Barriers to implementing the DSM-5 Cultural Formulation Interview: A qualitative study. Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry, 37(3), 505-533. 

Abstract:  The Outline for Cultural Formulation (OCF) in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) marked an attempt to apply anthropological concepts within psychiatry. The OCF has been criticized for not providing guidelines to clinicians. The DSM-5 Cultural Issues Subgroup… View full abstract 

Fang, L.,  Lee, E., and Huang, F. (2013). A child who sees ghosts every night: Manifestations of psychosocial and familial stress following immigration. Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry, 37(30), 549-564. 

Article: Joey (a pseudonym) is a 10-year-old boy of Chinese descent referred by his pediatrician to the mental health department of the same clinic. The health clinic is located in a metropolitan city in Northeast United States. At a recent child wellness examination, Joey’s mother Mei-Ling, informed the pediatrician that... View more of article


Hassan, G., Rousseau, C., and Moreau, N. (2013). Ethnic and religious discrimination: The multifaceted role of religiosity and collective self-esteem.  Transcultural Psychiatry, 50(4) 475-492. 
Abstract: This study analyses the roles of collective self-esteem and religiosity in the relationship between discrimination and psychological distress among a sample of 432 recent immigrants from Haiti and Arab countries living in Montreal, Quebec. Collective self-esteem (CSE), religiosity, discriminatory experiences, and... View full abstract 

Michael, J., Aylen,T., and Ogrin, R. (2013).  Development of a translation standard to support the improvement of health literacy and provide consistent high-quality information. Australian Health Review, 37(4), 547-551. 

Abstract: Australia has a high number of people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds whose primary language is not English. CALD population groups have comparatively lower levels of education and health literacy, and poorer health outcomes compared with the Australian-born population... View full abstract 


Milner, A.,   Sveticic, J., and  De Leo, D. (2013). Suicide in the absence of mental disorder? A review of psychological autopsy studies across countries. International Journal of  Social Psychiatry, 59, 545-554.  
Abstract: Background: While numerous past reviews of psychological autopsy (PA) studies have examined the relationship between mental disorder and suicide, there has been little systematic investigation of suicide occurring in the absence of any identifiable psychiatric condition. Aim: This article reviews available... View full abstract 


Shefer, G., Rose, D., Nellums, L., Thornicroft, G.,  Henderson, C., and Evans-Lacko, S. (2013). ‘Our community is the worst’: The influence of cultural beliefs on stigma, relationships with family and help-seeking in three ethnic communities in London. International Journal of  Social Psychiatry, 59,  535-544. 
Abstract: Background: Existing knowledge about the cultural beliefs of black and minority ethnic (BME) communities in the UK regarding stigma and mental illness is limited. Material: Data were collected in 10 focus groups, five with service users and five with laypersons, from BME communities in London...

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August 2013

Aichberger, M., Yesil, R., Rapp, M., Schlattmann, P., Temur-Erman, S., Bromand, Z., ... Schouler-Ocak, M. (2013). Surveying migrant populations – methodological considerations: An example from Germany. International Journal of Culture and Mental Health 6(2) 2013, 81-95. 
Abstract: Data available from the recruitment process for a population-based survey on psychological well-being in women of Turkish origin aged 18–75 years was subjected to post-hoc analysis to examine effects of different recruitment approaches and reasons for non-response. A random sample of 80,000 women... View full abstract 

  
Cooper, C., Spiers, N., Livingston, G., Jenkins, R., Meltzer, H., Brugha, T., ... Bebbington, P. (2013).  Ethnic inequalities in the use of health services for common mental disorders in England. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 48(5), 685-692.   
Abstract: Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate whether minority ethnic people were less likely to receive treatment for mental health problems than the white population were, controlling for symptom severity. Method: We analysed data from 23,917 participants in the 1993, 2000 and... View full abstract

Ivert, A-K., Merlo, J., Svensson, R., and Levander, M. (2013) How are immigrant background and gender associated with the utilisation of psychiatric care among adolescents? Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 48(5), 693-699.
Abstract: Purpose: To investigate how parental country of birth and individual gender affect utilisation of psychiatric care in adolescents. Methods: On the basis of data from the Longitudinal Multilevel Analysis in Scania database, the article employs logistic regression to analyse the utilisation of psychiatric care among... View full abstract 

Newman, L., Procter, N., and Dudley, M. (2013). Seeking asylum in Australia: Immigration detention, human rights and mental health care. Australasian Psychiatry, 21(4), 315-320. 
Abstract: Objective: The article aims to discuss the impact of mandatory detention and human rights violations on the mental health of asylum seekers and the implications for psychiatrists and health professionals. Conclusions: Advocacy for human rights and engagement in social debate are core ethical and professional... View full abstract  
 

Rees, S., Silove, D., Tay, K., and Kareth, M. (2013). Human rights trauma and the mental health of West Papuan refugees resettled in Australia. Medical Journal of Australia, 199(4), 280-283.
Abstract: Objectives: To document the extent and nature of human rights violations and other traumatic events reported by West Papuan refugees resettled in Australia and to assess trauma-related psychological disorders, distress and disability. Design and setting: Australian-based sample, mixed-methods design... View full abstract 
Savic, M., Chur-Hansen, A., Mahmood, M., and Moore, V. (2013). Separation from family and its impact on the mental health of Sudanese refugees in Australia: A qualitative study. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 37 (4), 383-8. 
Abstract: Objective: This study explored the impact of separation from family members on the mental health and wellbeing of Sudanese refugees in Australia, and the coping strategies used. Methods : In-depth interviews were conducted with Sudanese community representatives and health... View full abstract. Open access to full article.  
July 2013

Balkir, N., Arens, E., and Barnow, S. (2013). Exploring the relevance of autonomy and relatedness for mental health in healthy and depressed women from two different cultures: When does culture matter? International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 59(2), 482-492.
Abstract: Background: It is well known that the absence of both autonomy and social support (relatedness) are two important etiologic pathways to major depressive disorder (MDD). However, cross-cultural researchers state that the implications of autonomy and relatedness for mental health vary across cultures... View full abstract 

Hinton, D., Kredlow, M.A., Pich, V., Bui, E., and Hofmann S. (2013). The relationship of PTSD to key somatic complaints and cultural syndromes among Cambodian refugees attending a psychiatric clinic: The Cambodian Somatic Symptom and Syndrome Inventory (CSSI). Transcultural Psychiatry, 50(3), 347-370.
Abstract: This article describes a culturally sensitive questionnaire for the assessment of the effects of trauma in the Cambodian refugee population, the Cambodian Somatic Symptom and Syndrome Inventory (CSSI), and gives the results of a survey with the instrument. The survey examined the relationship of the CSSI,... View full abstract

Nakamura, N., Tummala-Narra, P., and Zárate, M. (2013). Expanding our borders: Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority’s special issue on migration. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 19(3), 233-235.
Abstract: Introduces the current special issue of the journal, Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology. This special issue focuses on the topic of immigration and highlights the important within group differences often overlooked when immigrants are conceptualized as a homogeneous group. The articles... View full abstract
  

Nakash, O., Levav, I., and Gal, G. (2013). Common mental disorders in immigrant and second-generation respondents: Results from the Israel-based World Mental Health Survey. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 59(5), 508-515.
Abstract: Background: The contrasting social status of ethnic groups differentially impacts the mental health of their members. This may be the case in Israel despite its egalitarian ideology. However, studies are a few and limited in scope. Aim: To study mental health disparities between immigrant and second-generation... View full abstract 

June 2013

Berlincioni, V. & Bruno, D. (2013) Ghosts from the past: a clinical case study of intercultural therapy in contemporary Italy. International Journal of Culture and Mental Health, 6(1), 45-57. DOI:10.1080/17542863.2011.604528.

Abstract: In this work the authors aim to present a case study of intercultural therapy undertaken during a hospitalisation. Starting from a view of comprehension and de-centralisation of one's own cultural points of reference, typical of the complementarist method theorised by Georges Devereux, it highlights the relevance... View full abstract

Guzder, J. & Rousseau, C. (2013). A Diversity of Voices: The McGill ‘Working with Culture’ Seminars. Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry, 37(2), 347-364.

Abstract: The Working with Culture seminar is offered as a course during the month long Annual McGill Summer Program for Social and Transcultural Psychiatry, attended by local and international participants each May since 1994. The article outlines some of the premises and pedagogical approaches of this clinically... View full abstract

May 2013

Bennett, J. (2013). Training mental health professionals in cultural capability: sustainability of knowledge and skills. International Journal of Culture and Mental Health, 6(1), 72-80.

Abstract: Globalisation has resulted in an increase in the ethnic and cultural diversity of mental health service users. In recent years mental health policy, research and services have placed great emphasis on cultural competency training as a means of reducing disparities in mental health care. Evidence from... View full abstract

Mellor, D., Carne, L., Shen, Y., McCabe, M. & Wang, L. (2013). Stigma toward mental illness: A cross-cultural comparison of Taiwanese, Chinese immigrants to Australia and Anglo-Australians. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 44(3): 352-64.

Abstract: This study investigated the relationship between culture and attitudes toward mental illness. In total, 196 men and 347 women were recruited from Australia and Taiwan. All participants completed a questionnaire assessing their attitudes toward mental illness. Australian-born Chinese immigrants to... View full abstract

Puyat, J. (2013).  Is the influence of social support on mental health the same for immigrants and non-immigrants. Journal of Immigrant & Minority Health, 15(3), 598-605.

Abstract: The association between social support and mental health across immigrant groups were examined in this study. A population-based sample was extracted from a 2009/10 Canadian community health survey. Self-reported mood or anxiety disorders and a standardized social support scale were used... View full abstract

Rousseau, C., Measham, T. & Nadeau, L. (2013). Addressing trauma in collaborative mental health care for refugee children. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 18(1), 121-136.

Abstract: Primary care institutions, including clinics, schools and community organizations, because of their closeness to the family living environment, are often in a privileged position to detect problems in traumatized refugee children and to provide help. In a collaborative care model, the child psychiatrist... View full abstract

Sandhu, S., Bjerre, N., Dauvrin, M., Dias, S., Gaddini, A., Greacen, T., Ioannidis, E., Kluge, U., Jensen, N., Lamkaddem, M., Puigpinós i Riera, R., Kósa, Z., Wihlman, U., Stankunas, M., Straßmayr, C., Wahlbeck, K., Welbel, M., Priebe, S. (2013). Experiences with treating immigrants: A qualitative study in mental health services across 16 European countries. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 48(1), 105-116.

Abstract: Purpose: While there has been systematic research on the experiences of immigrant patients in mental health services within certain European countries, little research has explored the experiences of mental health professionals in the delivery of services to immigrants across Europe. This study sought to... View full abstract

Sirin, S., Ryce, P., Gupta, T., & Rogers-Sirin, L. (2013). The role of acculturative stress on mental health symptoms for immigrant adolsecents. Developmental Psychology, 49(4), 736-748.

Abstract: Immigrant-origin adolescents represent the fastest growing segment of youth population in the United States, and in many urban schools they represent the majority of students. In this 3-wave longitudinal study, we explored trajectories of internalizing mental health symptoms (depression, anxiety, and... View full abstract

April 2013

Cantor-Graae, E., and Pedersen, C. (2013). Full spectrum of psychiatric disorders related to foreign migration: A Danish population-based cohort study. JAMA Psychiatry, 70(4), 427-435.

Abstract: Importance: Although increased risk for schizophrenia among immigrants is well established, knowledge of the broader spectrum of psychiatric disorders associated with a foreign migration background is lacking. Objective: To examine the full range of psychiatric disorders associated with any type of foreign migration... View full abstract

 

Paris, J. & Lis, E. (2013). Can sociocultural and historical mechanisms influence the development of borderline personality disorder? Transcultural Psychiatry, 50(1), 140-151.

Abstract: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a common and severe clinical problem. While cross-cultural research suggests that this condition can be identified in different societies, indirect evidence suggests that BPD and some of its associated symptoms (suicidality and self-harm) have a higher prevalence... View full abstract  

 

Stanghellini, G. & Ciglia, R. (2013). De Martino’s concept of critical ethnocentrism and its relevance to transcultural psychiatry Transcultural Psychiatry, 50(1), 6-20.

Abstract: Ethnography and hermeneutics help us think of the clinical encounter as a meeting of cultures. In this paper, we examine Ernesto De Martino’s concept of critical ethnocentrism and its relevance for psychiatry, arguing for the necessity of a cultural self-assessment on the part of the part of the clinician as... View full abstract